


For You

by fandomsonmysleeve



Category: The Dark Crystal (1982), The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (TV)
Genre: AU depending on how the story goes, Angst with a Happy Ending, Brave and Gentle, Canon Compliant, F/M, First Kiss, Gen, Headcanon, Headcanon for Season 2, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-09-05
Packaged: 2020-10-10 17:55:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20532170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomsonmysleeve/pseuds/fandomsonmysleeve
Summary: Rian and Deet reconnect after her battle with The Darkening.





	For You

**Author's Note:**

> A headcanon I have for Season 2 of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. Hopefully we will have a scene like this or something similar. I love the idea of Rian and Deet together. All of their scenes from Season 1 were beyond precious, and their chemistry/attraction was the best. They deserve happiness. Feedback is much appreciated.

“Deet? Deet?! _ Deet_, _ please_, come back to me, I’m here…” 

Everything around her felt fuzzy. As if she was waking up from a dream… or a nightmare. 

The pain that flowed throughout her body was making her dizzy. 

She felt strong arms enveloped around her. 

It was _ Rian_. 

Deet could always tell it was him. 

She squinted her eyes, trying to adjust to their environment. 

His sobs hitched once he realized Deet had opened her eyes.

“Deet! Oh, thank Thra.” Rian said, hugging her tightly to his chest. He was crying, shaking, sweating, his hair was matted, and she could feel his heart pounding in his chest. 

“Rian?” She asked weakly.

“Yes it’s me, I’m here.” Rian held her closer. A few of his tears fell onto her shoulder. 

Deet glanced to the side, only to find the crystal of truth hung across from where they sat. She had only seen it once, during Dream State, but as it glowed before her, Deet’s stomach churned. 

It was dark, and crackling. 

Slowly, Deet started to realize where they were. 

Her chest started heaving. Why were they in the Skeksis castle? Had they lost the battle and been captured? Was Rian in danger? 

Suddenly her eyes felt heavy again. 

“Rian…” she took another look at his sweet face, as he protectively clung to her, fighting the urge to fade out. 

“Just hold on, Deet, hold on. I’ve got you.” She heard him say. 

Deet felt Rian lift her up, then, he started running. She tried to focus on his heartbeat to keep herself awake, as he was busy panting and desperately trying to escape the castle. 

He abruptly came to a stop. She heard a loud clicking noise. A monster. 

Rian took a deep breath. 

“Okay, Deet, I’ve done this once before. You have to trust me. We’ll be okay, just continue to stay awake. I’m going to need you to take a deep breath and then hold it, okay? Now!” 

She did what he asked although having no clue what he was talking about, before he started running again and jumped out of the castle window. If Deet had the strength, or was anywhere near full consciousness, she would’ve used her wings. It was a long way down, until they plunged into the water. 

Rian swam them to the surface, as they both gasped for air. 

“It’s okay, darling. I’ve got you, we’re nearly there. Keep those big beautiful eyes open for me just a little bit longer… please.” he said, swimming them over to land. 

Deet continued to stare at him as Rian carried her out of the water. He hoisted her back into his arms and started to run. Deet heard other Gelfling meet up beside him. She could hear Brea’s voice in the mixture. 

_ “Did you bring the shard back?” _

_ “Here!” _She felt Rian’s arm leave her body for a second as he threw something. 

_ “It worked, Deet’s okay!” _

_ “I see Onica’s boat from here! We’re nearly there!” _

_ “Keep moving, we have to keep going! Don’t stop!” _

Rian looked down at her. 

“You can rest now, Deet. We’ll be safe soon. I promise.” 

With that, Deet allowed herself to close her eyes. The last thing she thought of was Rian’s bright blues gazing into her own, before she fluttered them closed. 

... 

The next time Deet opened her eyes, sunlight was present. The rest of the pain had faded from her body. 

“There she is.” came a familiar voice. Soft and comforting. 

Rian sat next to her, holding her hand. She looked around. 

“Rian, what… what happened? The last thing I remember, we were fighting the Skeksis. The Emperor, he… he was releasing the Darkening and…”

The Darkening. The overwhelming power that she no longer felt coursing through her veins. She looked at their hands. No more darkness, but how? 

“It’s okay,” he said, giving her hand a light tug. “That’s all over now. Thanks to you. You were…” he stopped himself from speaking and looked to the side. There was something he wasn’t telling her. 

“All that matters now is that you’re alright.” 

“Where are we?” Deet asked Rian. 

The house reminded her of one from Stone-in-the-Wood. 

“Safe.” he said. “Since the battle, The Resistance… well… we sort of fell apart, but we’re back together now— we’ve traveled to an area The Skeksis won’t follow. Your fathers and Bobb’N are back in Grot, where they’re being protected by the Arathim. We’ll send word to them immediately. I’ll go get the others, they’ll want to know you’re awake,” he started to get up. 

“Wait…” Deet said, still holding onto his hand. “Thank you.” 

Rian sighed at her. He bent his head down and laid it on their hands. 

“Thank _ you _ Deet… for coming back…” Rian said, tenderly. 

Deet longed to speak with him more, but missed her chance before he got up to announce she was awake. 

... 

Deet had many visitors throughout the day. 

Brea ran and hugged her immediately when she entered the room. 

“Oh Deet! I’m so happy you’re okay! We have _ so _ much to catch up on,” Brea placed her journal on the table beside Deet. “When you’re up for it…”

Deet was thrilled to see Brea. Deet had been worried for her during the battle. She fought the Skeksis with all her might. 

“It’s good to see you.” Deet said, giving her a squeeze. 

Brea sighed. “I knew my best friend would return.” 

Next, Deet learned Hup had returned from The Crystal Desert, and he wept when seeing her. He spoke fast, with some jumbled words difficult for Deet to understand, but she knew they were all words of joy. She missed her little paladin. 

She also got visits from Kylan, Gurjin, Naia, and even Seladon. 

Everyone came to check up on her, which was very nice, but no one would tell Deet what truly happened. 

Why wouldn’t anyone say anything? She was glad to see her friends of course, but she could tell something was off. A hesitancy in the air. Everyone had been careful with their words. 

Later in the afternoon, as the sun was setting, Rian had emerged back into her room. He carried a bowl of sustenance. 

He placed it on the table and sat back down in the chair he had occupied earlier. 

His hand fidgeted, as he reached for her hand again, before stopping himself. 

Deet felt a pang in her chest. She always welcomed his hands. Why did he pull away? 

“How are you feeling?” 

“Better now… with you here.”

This caused Rian’s ears to go back. 

“Of course, your favorite Day Lighter is here to assist.” he said, trying to act smooth. Deet giggled at this, before contemplating her next statement. 

“Rian… tell me what happened. Where are the Skeksis? What happened to The Darkening? I don’t understand...”

Rian face immediately fell. He shook his head and looked to the side. 

“Rian, _ please_.” Deet clutched his hand, causing him to look back at her. His wondrous eyes that she adored had started welling up with tears again. It hurt Deet to see him cry. 

“What troubles you so? Let me in, _ please_. Dreamfast with me. I need the truth, and I want it to be from _ you_.” Deet lifted her hand up, yearning for his to do the same. 

Rian contemplated this before giving in. 

“You’re right. You deserve to know, I could never deny that,” he took a shaky breath.

Rian carefully lifted his hand, and joined it with Deet’s. 

... 

Rian’s memories all came crashing into her mind. 

The first thing she saw was Rian aimlessly wandering around the forest. He was screaming her name, eyes full of tears. 

Suddenly she spotted herself across the way. 

_ The Darkening_. The purple infection had spread to her face. Her eyes, normally big and bright, just looked cold and dull as she stared back at Rian. He didn’t run away when he saw her, just watched as she left him alone in the darkened woods. 

Next, she saw Rian rejoined with the group. Brea, Kylan, and other members of The Resistance. Mother Aughra was there too. 

“I don’t understand what happened to her, she just… kept walking. It’s like she was in a trance. I couldn’t follow, the branches got too thick to climb through.” 

Mother Aughra shook her head.

“The Darkening. Who’s to say how it controls one being versus the other. All we know is Deet had the power in her hands—”

“—And she used it for _ good_. She didn’t use it on us, rather she used it on the Skeksis. That’s what scared them away. Even with something so cruel inside of her, she protected us.” Brea chimed in. 

“We must figure out a way to get it out of her…” Rian said, before Hup walked over and pushed him. 

“You hurt Deet!” 

“_No_, no, I would _ never _ hurt her.” Rian protested, taken aback at the outburst of rage from Hup. 

“Rian said Deet took on Sanctuary Tree power in Caves of Grot when Rian was only one with her. Could’ve stopped her!” 

Rian had started to cry once more. 

“I didn’t know! Please you have to believe me. I thought it was only temporarily! She healed a Nurloc from The Darkening, but I figured it was one last act of kindness the Sanctuary Tree wanted her to perform. After that she had a vision— it upset her. I don’t know what truly happened. The day of the battle, when I tried to… she was distant. Something changed in her.” 

“Affected her. Hmph.” Mother Aughra spat. 

“I would’ve stopped her. _ I _ would’ve taken on The Darkening instead of Deet, she doesn’t deserve to…” Rian’s cries intensified. 

“You did nothing wrong, Rian. You didn’t know.” Brea put her hand on Rian’s shoulder. 

He looked up at Hup again. 

“I was the one who went looking for her, and she was the one who walked away. It’s clear she doesn’t want anything to do with me.”

Hup sniffled. “Not true. Deet love Rian. Hup see. Deet want Rian love her too.” 

“_I do._” Rian said. He lifted his head and looked around at everyone. “We’re going to save her. The Skeksis will get a final taste of their own medicine. We just need to figure out how…”

Deet could tell from the next memory that time had past. The Resistance was now being led by Brea, as she was the one planning for another battle. Rian had reluctantly joined back in. He looked sad and stressed. Brea informed him that it was better if they rescued Deet together rather than alone. 

Deet heard of something unfamiliar called The Garthim. She soon found out what they were. Huge creatures, similar to a Spitter, but different, too. The Skeksis had complete control over them.

Garthim attacked everywhere they went. More gelfling, podlings, and other creatures from Thra ended up in harm’s way. 

Deet once again saw herself through Rian’s eyes. 

“Turn back…” she said, though her voice was not her own. It was deep and darkened. Purple sparks crackled over at Rian, who fortunately jumped back in time before getting hurt. 

“_Never._” said Rian. “I will save you Deet. I promise.” 

Deet was then shown more peril and destruction. 

The Resistance found a solution, or so they thought. The crystal shard that came from The Emperor’s staff could harness all The Darkening that Deet held inside her once more. Brea wanted to be sure to have the shard returned to her though, she insisted it was important the shard would be back in her hands. 

The last memory shown was from the day before. 

Rian, Brea, Hup, Mother Aughra, and The Resistance had come up with a plan. They would distract The Skeksis, and get them out of the castle, while few Gelfling would run inside the castle and retrieve Deet. 

Some Skeksis fell for the bait, while others did not. Many of the paladins and other Gelflings managed to stop the ones left inside the castle, and Brea stood tall, fighting off Garthim so Rian could slip through and re-attach the crystal shard. 

“Keep going!” Brea shouted to Rian. He ran faster than Deet ever saw. 

Once Rian made it inside the Crystal Chamber, he found Deet. She was sitting on the floor near the Emperor’s throne. She looked hypnotized. The Skeksis Deet had come to know as Chamberlain taunted Rian. 

“Poor Rian. So sad. Couldn’t save Mira, couldn’t save father, and now can’t save poor gelfling here. The same one you cried out for during battle. Rian like her, yes? Such a shame, he never learns his lesson. I will take much pleasure in _ killing _ her.” 

“_No!_” Rian was furious, and slashed him with the shard. Chamberlain and Rian fought until Rian bested him. With Chamberlain knocked out, Rian leapt onto the crystal and entered the shard, making it whole again. A white glow blasted throughout the room. 

Deet saw herself smile from across the way. She subconsciously must’ve known Rian had succeeded. The Darkening tethered itself to the crystal, and removed itself from Deet. The smile from Deet’s face faded as it started to return to normal color, erupting a loud scream from her. Deet suddenly looked weak, and started to pass out from the transfusion. 

“Deet!” Rian screamed. Noticing The Darkening was successfully removed from Deet, he ripped the shard back out of the crystal and lunged off the crackling object, running over to her. 

This she remembered. Briefly waking up in Rian’s arms only to pass back out. The power had drained her greatly. Rian was careful to be sure Chamberlain was still unconscious, and carried Deet out of the chamber. He faced a Garthim, quickly jumped out one of the castle’s windows, and met up with the other gelfling, all with Deet still safe in his arms. She watched as The Resistance climbed aboard a boat captained by a member of the Sifa Clan, who brought them back to the safe house everyone was currently residing in. 

... 

Deet gasped as she returned to the present. Tears soaked her cheeks, as well as Rian’s. 

“Rian… you _ saved _ me.” Deet said, feeling awestruck. He risked life and limb to retrieve her from that horrible place. 

Instead of looking up at her, he looked down, ashamed.

“I’m sorry it took so long. I’m sorry I couldn’t prevent any of it from happening. I panicked and didn’t know what to do. You’re so gentle, and strong. You deserved to live peacefully in the Caves of Grot with your family, not captured or tortured by The Skeksis and used by their cruel ways of power. I failed you.” 

“You _ didn’t _ fail me. The Resistance saved me and you Rian… you kept me going.” Deet sighed and lifted her hand once more. “Now it’s your turn to learn.” 

... 

Deet showed Rian the vision the Sanctuary Tree had shown her. Confusing images, that now made sense, or most of them at least. 

“I knew of The Darkening, and the potential effects it would have… I just didn’t understand how it would come to be…” Deet spoke over their dreamfasting. 

“And then…”

Deet showed Rian the memory of when he asked to see the Caves of Grot together once the battle was over. He told her that life would be better for them. He took her hand. Deet was smiling at him, optimistic of a future together. She wanted it more than anything. Then, when reality set in, Deet pulled her hand away. Rian looked hurt. He nodded his head and left her alone. Little did he know it was because of The Darkening. Purple veins she was trying to hide him from seeing. Trying to shield him from the pain. 

————————-

When Deet finished showing Rian, it was his turn to gasp. 

“Deet, why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I didn’t know how. Everything was so confusing and I was scared. I thought if you knew I had The Darkening, you’d be afraid of me, or worse, that I might harm you. I needed you more than ever, I was foolish not to reach out and ask for help.” 

He shook his head and pulled her in for a hug. 

“Nonsense. I would _ never _ be afraid of you. I was afraid _ for _ you. Deet… I felt like I lost everything in my life. I couldn’t lose you, too.”

Deet’s heart fluttered. 

“How did you do it? How did you know that plan would work?” She asked curiously. He was always so brave, taking risks in the great unknown. 

“I had _ hope_. The hope you’ve given me. I knew you were tough enough to beat The Darkening. You gave me a reason to fight again. I kept reminding myself that there is a better life for us out there when all of this is over… Though I believed when I first mentioned it, I overstepped.” Rian said. 

“You didn’t.” Deet reassured him, reaching for his hand again. She noticed his eyes were looking at her lips. She glanced back at his, too. It was something they often caught each other doing— but never got the chance to act upon, until now. 

They simultaneously leaned in. Finally, an intimate moment that would go uninterrupted. 

Rian’s lips were Deet’s savior. Something she had wanted, _needed_, for so long. 

He breathed life back into her. 

For all that had gone wrong, for all that time she feared darkness would consume her life and she’d never get to be with Rian, or her friends again, she reminded herself that this was _ real. _Something good. 

To Deet’s delight, Rian graciously kissed her.

His lips were urgent. She kissed him back with as much fervent, surprising him. 

She could tell he had been waiting for this encounter as well. 

When they pulled back for air, she smiled at him, while he sighed at her. 

“I love you.” Rian said.

Deet thought her heart was about to combust. He took the words out of her mouth. Words she nearly admitted to him before darkness clouded her mind back in Grot. 

“I love you too.” she replied, the feeling of euphoria only intensified. 

“My gentle Deet… hearing you say that makes me the happiest Gelfling in all of Thra…” Rian whispered. He lightly brushed the bangs out of her face, before his parted lips captivated Deet’s again for a passionate encounter.

In an innocent-borderline-sensuous manner, Deet took the opportunity to guide Rian onto the bed. She wanted them to be closer. To feel his heartbeat mixed with her own. 

He groaned softly at the notion, fitting into the bed perfectly next to her. He nudged his nose against hers, deepening their heated kiss. Deet gripped his hair, while his hands remained holding her firmly on the side, as he always seemed to enjoy. 

Deet gathered that when Rian held her, it brought comfort that she was actually with him, it wasn’t just a hopeless wish. 

After a while, they finally took some proper time to catch their breaths. 

They lay side by side, mesmerized by each other. 

“I’m glad to see your brown eyes no longer tainted by those purple swells. I don’t think I could ever tire looking into them…” 

“Rian…” Deet gushed. She pushed her forehead against his. 

“Don’t leave.” she whispered. 

“I’m not going anywhere.” Rian said, conjoining their hands. “And even when we are apart, I will always find my way back to you.” 

Rian curled up and rested his head on her chest, listening to her heartbeat. His sheltered presence made Deet feel safe and sound, lulling her to sleep. She carefully placed her head on top of his own. 

They remained this way until the sun had risen, bright and ready to start a new day. Just as Rian and Deet were ready to start a new life, _ together_. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is more so a fix it fic and solely about their relationship, I didn’t mean to get so heavy into the lore but here we are. I’ve written the idea that Rian takes the shard back out of the crystal once the darkness transferred and gives it back to Brea because we know from the film that Aughra still has possession of it. 
> 
> I can’t wait to hopefully see Rian and Deet finally confess their love and kiss in the series, and I still believe they have a childling together (perhaps Jen). If you read this and thought, “whoa, am I about to read a section where Gelflings consummate their love?!” I simply wanted to end the fic by paralleling them falling asleep together just as Jen and Kira did in The Dark Crystal (1982) however after all these two have been through, the mutual pining and almost kisses they shared in season 1, Rian and Deet surely have earned a good makeout session. Also, if they were to have a childling this would eventually happen... all Gelflings come from somewhere. However this is a family show, so everything will be much tamer.  
Okay thank you for reading!


End file.
